A number of passionate people are driving a slow fashion movement on Australia’s west coast. The designers behind ILKA are two of them, offering up classic and contemporary casual wear with a focus on ethical production and local fabrics.
Perth’s ILKA is the product of Erin Taylor and Kate Wilks – two budding designers who found inspiration in their experience in the fashion industry and lives in general to start something unique in their local community.
Their label, ILKA, has found a niche in their label that matches not a demographic or style necessarily, but the way of live present in their Western Australia coastal community.
The clothes are a range of uncomplicated feminine pieces, from staple t-shirts with fun designs to plain dresses with small details to differentiate. The common element is a casual vibe that’s super wearable.
All ILKA products are produced by local Western Australia manufacturers or in-house at their studio in Mount Hawthorn by Erin and Kate themselves.
ILKA uses a mix of fabrics, including 100% Australian made cotton which is used in the T-shirt collections.
They opt for this Australian grown and milled cotton in an effort to support local and interstate producers. Other fabrics used include silk, viscose, bamboo, cotton blends, wool, some polyester, which the pair say they use to ensure their product has a long shelf life.
To reduce waste in the production of the clothing, the production team at ILKA will only purchase the exact amount of fabric needed in the run. They also use special systems to design the clothes in a way that there is little to no waste involved in the fabric cutting.
Erin and Kate sell the ILKA collections at their shop in Perth, online here, and at a number of stockists around Australia. Find out more and shop ILKA here.
